YORK COUNTY S.C. — Friends spent Sunday remembering a Charlotte teen who died in a serious accident on Interstate 77.
The accident that killed him Saturday also sent three of his close friends and classmates to the hospital. They were all students at South Mecklenburg High School.
Early Sunday morning students gathered to paint two huge rocks in front of the school and remember Thomas Luciano, 16. They said the teen had a huge heart and a big smile.
"He never gave up and he worked hard for whatever he would do," said Skye Rust. She was Luciano's best friend.
She told Eyewitness News that Luciano excelled at Junior ROTC and was an aspiring dentist.
His dreams were dashed Saturday in a chilling accident. Highway Patrol officers said the driver tried switching lanes and lost control of the SUV.
It flipped over killing Luciano. Firends said Mary Elizabeth Shultze, 17, was the driver of that car. Her classmates were rushed to the hospital.
"We're a family through ROTC and we were all hurting pretty bad," said Maren Sisskind.
Rust was like a sister to Luciano. She was supposed to hangout with him Saturday, but a wedding kept her from being in the car.
"She's not handling it very well at all actually," said Rust's mother, Kim. "She's not sleeping," she said.
Sunday students said Mary Elizabeth Shultze and Madison Rathburn were released from the hospital. They said the final student in that car, Rolland Calhoun, had more serious injuries and underwent surgery Sunday.
Eyewitness News called South Carolina's Highway Patrol to confirm those names and find out whether any charges would be filed, but our phone call was not returned before the story aired.
WSOC
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